Folder



R. J. WATERWORTH FOLDER Feb. 10, 1925. 1,525,969

Filed April 19, l924 4 he -Sheet 1 (r INVEN'I'OR ROBERT J.WATERWORTH ATTORNEYS Feb. 0, 1925. 1,525 969- R. J. WATERWORTH FOLDER Filed April 19 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l NVENTO R ROBERT J.WATERWORTH -||munr 39 38 ,7 33

ATTORNEYS Feb, 10, 1925'. 1,525,969

R. J. WATERWORTH I\ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS I Feb, 10, 1925. 1,525,969

R. J. WATERWORTH FOLDER 1 Filed April 19, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVE NTOR v ROBERT J. WATERWORTH ATTORN 5Y5 Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

ROBERT J. WATER/WORTH, F SIDNEY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO 1.. M. srUDEvm, or

SIDNEY, OHIO.

i FOLDER.

Application filed April is, 1924. Serial No. 707,566.

To 07710720222 it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. VaranwonrH. a subject of Great Britain. residing at Sidney. in the county of Shelby and State -of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folders. of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to folders.

' It is the object of my invention to provide a machine for folding paper sheets and the like which is adjustable to folding the sheets in a plurality of different folds.

It is a further object of my invention to provide means of folding sheets of varying thicknesses and stiffness. It is an additional oh'ect to provide a machine which is adjustable not only for the number of the folds. but for the size of the sheets.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a machine which because of its simplicity may not onl) be easily adjusted by any person. but may be also light and 5 strong. so that it will be both cheap to manufacture and portable. It is my object to eliminate the complications of folding machines which have heretofore been found f in the art. which are both expensive and complicated.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a machine which will occupythe minimum of floor space.

It is an additional object to providea machine in which the folding of the paper can be confined to one portion of the machine in order to secure a particular kind of fold.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of machoine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the complete machine. Figure 3 is a detail section of the wing 4 out lock of one of the feeding bars taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation with the rolls in section, showing the parts in position for making a six-page standard fold.

-Figure 5 is a similar view, showing the parts inposition for making a six-page accordion fold.

' Figure 6 is a similar view, showing the parts in position for making an eight-page 55 fold.

the complete Figure 7 is a similar view, showing the parts in position for making a fourp'age fold or merely doubling the paper.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view similar to the preceding ones, showing the strips of paper in the various positions of folding to produce various folds.

Figure fold produced by the machine when in the position shown in Figure 7.

Figure the paper as folded by the machine when the positions of the parts are as in Figure 6.

Figure 11 is a fold of the paper when passed through the machine when it is in the position shown in Figure 5.

9 is a perspective of the four-page 10 is a perspective of one end of Figure 12 is a perspective of the paper as I folded when it is passed through the machine when-it is in the position shown in Figure 4.

Figure 13 is aplan view of the fine adj ustment of the angular position of the paper.

Referring to the drawings in detailz 1 is a side frame, of which there are a pair joined by the cross-members 2. The upper end of the frame has transverse members 3. This frame has journaled therein a driving pulley 4, which is driven by a belt and electric motor not shown, but of any conventionalconstruction. The exact source of motive power is immaterial. although it is preferable to operate the machine at a fairly highrate of speed. This pulley is mounted on the shaft 5 carried by the frame member 3. On this shaft is mounted a gear 6. 8 is the rubber roller. The gear 9 is carried byone of the corrugated roll shafts 10. The gear 9 meshes with a third gear ll mounted on the lower corrugated roll shaft 12. Thus the upper rubber roll 13 and the corrugated rolls 14, 15 and 16 turn in synchronism with one another as they are rotated by the pulley 1 through the above-mentioned train of gears. The paper sheets are fed along the horizontal wooden supports 17, which are clamped to the cross-members 2 by the bolts 18 and wing nuts 19. These bolts project through slots 20 that the-position of the bars 17 may be adjusted laterally. The outermost bars 17 are provided with vertical metal guide plates 21. These guide plates are also provided at their forward ends with pivoted, transversely located guide plates 22, which are pivoted as in the cross-members 2 so at 23 so that they may be tilted to direct the paper between the rubber roll and the corrugated roll below. Supplementary guide bars 24 may be provided in any de sired number, which are attached to one of the transverse members 2 by spring clips 25. The inner ends of these supports 17 and 24 are tapered so as to project as at 26 between the feed roller 13 and the corrugated roller 14. By the agency of these two rollers the sheet of paper to be folded is drawn in and passed between the rollers 13 and 14 and between the upper guide plate 27 and the lower guide plate 28. The upper guide plate is provided with a deflecting shoulder 29., so that the paper will be directed between the two plates 27 and 23 as the lower plate 28 has its end 30 projecting beyond the end 23 of the upper plate 2?. These plates are composed of solid ends and spaced bars between the ends so that the fingers 31 of the stop may travel between these bars and engage the ends of the paper sheets. The position, of these fingers which are carried on a transverse bar 32, is determined by the location of the collar 33 and set screw 34 on the supporting rod 35. This rod is maintained in a position parallel to the paper guide plates 2'2 and 28 by a bracket 36, which is bolted to the ends of the plates 27 and 28 and to a crossbar between those plates designated 37. It will be understood that the frame 1' and cross-frame 3 are projected upwardly substantially at an angle of degrees as at 56 to form the support for this mechanism, including the plates 27 and 28.

While this exact angle is not essential it is found convenient. Thus, through the agency of the set screw 34 and the collar 33 traveling on the supporting rod 35, the position of the fingers 31 in the slots in the plates 27 and 28 may be adjusted. The angular position of the fingers 31 with respect to the supporting rod may be further adjusted through the following mechanism:

To the collar 33 is pivoted the transverse finger carrying member 32 as at 54. The position of the bar 32 is fixed by the set screw 38 which is carried by the bar 32 and travels in a slotin the end of the member 33, which is opposite to the point where it s pivot-ally connected to the bar 32. The ad ustment of the position of the bar 32 about its pivot 54. is effected by the micrometer set screw 40, which works in a. downwardly projecting lug 40 carried by the outer end of 33. By tightening 38 slightly so that it can still move under the pressure of the screw 40 a line angular adjustment may be secured and then the set screw 38 can be fastened permanently. This adjustment is often necessary, due to the fact that the end of the paper may not be exactly square.

weapon When the paper is forced between the rolls 13 and 14 into the space between 27 and 28 and its forward end comes in contact with the fingers 31 due to the continued movement of the rear end of the paper under the impulse of the rolls 13 and 14, the paper will buckle at a point where it is unsupported, that is, between the ends 29 and 30 and the pointof contact with the paper by the rolls 13 and 14, with the result that as it buckles downwardly it will fold upon itself and the folded portion will be drawn between the rolls 14 and 15, which have corrugated metal surfaces. The paper thus folded will be drawn downwardly until it is inserted in its folded condition between the ends 41 and 42 of the plates 43 and 44, which are similar to the plates 27 and 28. The forward end of the paper will engage with similar fingers 31 working in the slots in the plates 44 and 43. The supporting rod and bracket are similar in the lower unit as in the upper unit. lVhen the forward end of the folded paper comes in contact with the fingers 31 it will stop and the paper will again buckle downwardly and be drawn between the rolls l5 and 16. The ends of the shafts carrying these rolls 15 and 16 are carried in the blocks 45, with which engage the set screws 46 carried. in the frame members 47 so as to adjust the position of the rolls with respect to one another. Helical springs 48, are provided for preventing the turning of the set sL-rews through the jolting or jarring of the machine. Guideways 49 are provided in the frames 47, so that these blocks may slide inwardly and outwardly and move the rolls accordingly to adjust the rolls to thekind of paper being fed through the folder.

In the eventthat it is desired to impart. a single fold to the paper as in Figure 7, making a four-page leaflet, the upper plate 43 is moved forwardly to a position-where its end 41 will be so located as to pass the paper directly between the rolls 15 and 16 without the paper going between the plates 43 and 44. The plate 43 is also dropped down upon the plate 44 so that the paper cannot enter between them. In order to effect this the plate 44 is rigidly attached to the crossbar 37 but the upper plate 43 merely rests upon this transverse bar 37 and is held in position with respect to the plate 44 by the bolts 50 and wing nuts 51, the boltstraveling in a slot in the plate 43 so that this plate 43 can be shifted forwardly and downwardly when this portion of the machine is to be rendered inoperative or may be shifted backwardly and upwardly when it is to be made operative and held in position by the bolts 50 and wing nuts 51.

. It will be observed that by varying the relative position of the stops it is possible i but'I prefer for designated 13 is a sheet which has just bent and is proceeding between the two rollers. The sheet of paper designated C has been folded once and has proceeded to a point In this" ust before it is bent a second time.

view the rolls for the purpose of clearness are spread apart. The sheet of paper in a position marked E is the result of. this folding action illustrated in Figure 8. s

In Figures 9, 10, 11. and 12 I have shownvarious folds. It will be understood that this is only a few of a large variety of sizes and shapes of folds which can be secured by my invention. By the invention I have eliminated a large number of parts, rolls and the like. which have made such ma- =hines heretofore complicated 'in construction, expensive to buy and operate and have necessitated specially skilled operators. My invention is adaptable to any office where folding of literature of various sorts is necessary. or in the larger printing shops where large quantities of mail matter must be folded.

The material of the rolls is not essential,

the upper feed roll a rubber covering and for the lower rolls a corrugated metal surface. The upper roll 13 has its shaft ends 8 carried in the blocks 52. which rest in the open jaws 53 of the frame. so that the roll may be lifted out when desired for renewal or for the adjustment of the parts. The lower guide plates are carried in a frame or bracket 7.

I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by 1 Letters Patent. is:

1. In a folding machine, means for guiding a sheet between a sheet actuating means, means for guiding the sheet in a predetermined direction. means for stopping one end of said sheet, said guiding means and feeding means being spaced to permit of the buckling of the sheet and its folding as it is continued in its feeding. means to reverse the direction of said sheet and eject it in folded condition. and a second guiding means which is'adjnstable either to receive the sheet to permit it to fold a second time, or to exclude the sheet and cooperate in ejecting it directly without further folding, and means for ejecting the sheet.

2. In a folding machine, a feed table, a pair of feeding rollers, spaced guide plates for receiving the free end of a sheet, means to limit the movement of the sheet between said plates, the end of said plates and the point of contact of said rollers being spaced, a third roller disposed adjacent one of the foregoing rollers with the free ends of said plates between it and the other of said rollers. whereby a sheet fed by the first two rollers will be caused to buckle and then be fed between the second and third rollers, a second pair of spaced plates having their free ends spaced from,' but between the second and third rollers and between the second and fourth rollers, a fourth roller associated with the third roller. a second stop associated with said plates, whereby when the sheet buckles the second time it will be fed outwardly between the third and fourth rollers. the upper of said second pair of guide plates being slidable and having an abutment on its free end between the rollers, whereby when it is moved toa point closely adjacent said rollers, the space between the second pair of plates will be closed and the sheet will be fed directly from the second and third rollers to the third and fourth rollers.

23. In a folding machine, a feed table, a pair of feeding rollers, spaced guide plates for receiving the free end of a sheet, means to limit the movement of the sheet between said plates, the end of said plates and the po nt of contact of said rollers being spaced. a third roller disposed adjacent one of the foregoing rollers with the free ends of said plates between it and the other of said rollers. whereby a sheet fed by the first two rollers will be caused to buckle and then be fed between the second and third rollers, a second pair of spaced plates having their free ends spaced from, but between the second and third rollers and between the second and fourth rollers. and a fourth roller associated with the third roller. a second stop associated with said plates. whereby be fed outwardly between the third and 'fourth rollers. the upper of'said second pair position of said stops.

-l. In a folding machine, a feed table. a pair of feeding rollers. spaced guide plates for receiving the free end of a sheet. means to limit the movement of the said plates. th end of said plates and the point. of contact of said rollers being spaced.

:1 third roller disposed adjacent one, of the foregoing rollers with the free ends of said when the sheet buckles the second time it will sheet between plates between it and the other of said ro1- lers, whereby a sheet fed by the first two rollers will be caused to buckle and then be fed between the second and third rollers, a

second pair of spaced plates having their free ends spaced from, but between the second and third rollers and between the second and fourth rollers, a fourth roller associated with the third roller, a second stop associated with said plates, whereby when the sheet buckles the second time it will be fed outwardly between the third and fourth rollers, the upper of said second pair of guide plates being slidable andhaving an abutment on its free end between the rollers, whereby when it is moved to a point closely adjacent said rollers, the space between the second pair of plates will be closed and the sheet will be fed directly from the second and third rollers to the third and fourth rollers, means for adjusting the position of said stops and means for adjusting the angular position of said stops.

5. In a folding machine, a feed table, a pair of feeding rollers, spaced guide plates for receiving the free end of asheet, means to limit the movement of the sheet between said plates, the end of said plates and the point of contact of said rollers being spaced, a third roller disposed adjacent one of the foregoing rollers with the'free ends of said plates between it and the other of said rollers, whereby a sheet fed by the first two rollers will be caused to buckle and then be fed between the second and third rollers, a second pair of spaced plates having their free ends spaced from, but between the second and third rollers and between the second and fourth rollers, a fourth roller associated with the third roller, a second stop associated with said plates, whereby when the sheet buckles the second time it will be fed outwardly between the third and fourth rollers, the upper of said second pair of guide plates being slidable and having an abutment on its free end between the rollers, whereby when itis moved to a point closely adjacent said rollers, the space between the till second pair of plates will be closed and the sheet will be fed directly from the second and third rollers ,to the third and fourth rollers. means for adjusting the position of said stops, means for adjusting the angular position of said stops, and means for adjusting the position of some of said rolls.

6. In a folding machine, means to guide sheets between rollers, an upper and lower roller, a pair of spaced guiding plates disposed at an angle to the path of the'sheet between the rollers, the ends of said guide plates being spaced from the point of feed of the rollers, said guide plates having a plurality of slots therein; a plurality of stop fingers inserted in said slots, and a third roller associated with the lower of the aforementioned rollers, means below the second and third rollers at an angle to the line of feed therethrough consisting of spaced guide plates oppositely disposed to the first set of guide plates, but in a parallel plane thereto and having similar slots and stop fingers, means for adjusting the upper guide plates relatively to the lower guide plates, and a fourth roller associated with the third roller and directlybeneath said third roller.

7. In a folding machine. feed rollers, spaced guide plates having slots therein, means for adjusting said guide plates relatively to one another, a plurality of stop fingers in said plates, a supporting rod carried by said plates, a supporting collar on said rod, a bar supporting said fingers and pivoted to said collar and a fine adjustment screw adapted to adjust said fingers with respect to said collar, and means to fix the position of said fingers when adjusted.

8. In a folding machine, means to guide sheets to a feeding means, consisting of a rubber roller and a'corrugated metal roller. spaced guide plates to guide 'the free end of the sheet upwardly; means to adjust one of said plates relatively to the other, means to stop the free end of the sheet to cause it to buckle while its rear end is still being fed. corrugated metal rollers for receiving the buckled portion and feeding the sheet in its folded condition.

9. In a folding machine, feed rolls. a I

movable upper guide plate having an abutment on one end, a stationary guide plate spaced therefrom, a bar across the end of said second plate adapted to space the first plate therefrom and detachable clamping means adapted to hold said plates-in en gagement with one another or in spaced relationship.

10. In a folding machine, feedrolls, a movable upper guide plate having an abutment on one end, a stationary guide plate spaced therefrom, a bar across the end of said second plate adapted to space the first plate therefrom, and detachable clamping means adapted to hold .said plates in engagement with one another or in spaced relationship, said plates having a plurality of slots therein, stop fingers projecting in said slots, a supporting rod. and means to adjustably support said fingers on said rod.

11. A pair of guide plates for a folding machine, means'for supporting said plates. means for adjusting one plate relatively to the other plate, said adjustable plate having an abutment, wherebywhen the adjustable plate is in extended position relatively to the other plate, the abutment thereon will form a stop and when in retracted position will leave a space between said plates for the passage of paper therebetween.

1 ROBERT J. WATERWORTH. 

